Multi-section blower wheel



Dec. 19, 1967 R; A. BEESLEY MULTI SECTION BLOWER WHEEL Filed July 5,1966- INVENTOR. ROBERT A. BEES LEY ATTORNEY United States Patent3,358,912 MUL'll-SECTION BLOWER WHEEL Robert A. Beesley, Decatur County,Ind., assignor to Vernco Corporation, Columbus, Ind. Filed July 5, 1966,Ser. No. 562,842 4 Claims. (Cl. 230-134) This invention relates to theforming an over-all length of a blower wheel by joining together, end toend, two or more blower wheels made of strip blading wherein each wheelhas an opposing outwardly radially turned flange in abutment, one flangeagainst another and the two separate flanges compressively held oneagainst the other whereby, in effect, the separate wheels are held inlongitudinal, axial alignment.

A primary advantage of this invention resides in the simplicity of thestructure obtained by simple connection of wheels, and, in thisconnection, in the rigidity of the elongated wheel.

Further, the choice is available to meet air flow requirements bycombining varying lengths of preformed wheels, by joining togethermultiples of common lengths of wheel units. Where one standard unitlength may be formed, a plurality of the units are used and thus varyingset-ups of tooling for varying lengths in one piece is avoided.

The invention is described in one particular form as illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a view in fragmentary sideelevation of a structure embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in longitudinal section on the line 2--2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a connecting and retaining rlng;

FIG. 4 is a view in section on the line 44 in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a split ring which may be rolled and used inplace of the die formed ring of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a view in section on the line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

In its simplest form an extended width blower wheel generally designatedby the numeral 10 is formed from two separate wheels 11 and 12. Thesewheels 11 and 12 are of the usual strip blade type wherein the ends ofthe blades 13 terminate integrally in side lands or hands 14 atrespective blade ends. A flange 15 is turned angularly from the lands ineach instance and these lands 14 are circumferentially rolled to carrythe blades 13 around therewith.

The flange 15 at one end of the wheel 13 is engaged by a back plate 16in the usual manner by rolling a peripheral portion over the flange andtoward the flange 15, FIG. 2. The flange 15 at an end of the Wheel 12 isreceived within a ring either 17 or 18 and retained therein. In eachwheel 11 and 14, the flange 15a is preferably inclined a few degreesfrom the land 14 toward the outsides of the blades 13, although notnecessarily so.

The two wheels 11 and 12 are brought together, flange 15a matchingflange 15a. A ring 18 (or 17) is placed around the two flanges 15a, andthe ring is rolled around against the outer sides of the two flanges,FIG. 2, thereby squeezing one flange 15a against the other intocompressive contact. That completes the joining together of the twowheels 11 and 12. Thus there is formed a wheel 10 having the combinedaxial length of the two wheels 11 and 12, with the back plate 16 at oneend and the wheel open at the opposite end.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the one form newbest known to me, it is obvious that structural changes may be employedin modifying that form without departing from the spirit of theinvention. For one example, while the flanges have been described andshown as being integral with the blades, it is conceivable that theblades may in part or entirely be separate members secured to lands orthe flanges.

I therefore do not desire to be limited to the precise form describedbeyond the limitations which may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of a plurality of separate blower wheels in axialabutment;

a circumferential flange around each end of wheels facing end to endwith an adjacent wheel; and

a ring extending circumferentially around, transversely over and aroundsides of said flanges urging one against the other into compressiveabutment;

an interengagement between said ring and said abutting flangesconstituting the sole means for axial aligning and driving of one wheelfrom the other.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which each of said wheels comprises astrip having side lands and blades rigidly secured by ends between andto a pair of lands; and

said flanges extend radially outwardly from respective edge portions ofsaid lands.

3. The structure of claim 1, in which said flanges slope one from theother laterally by free edge portions from a wheel diametrical planepassing through the circumferential zones of contact adjacent saidlands.

4. The structure of claim 3, in which said ring is approximatelyC-shaped with free edge portions directed generally one toward the otherdown said flange slopes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,985,705 12/1934 Whiton 230-1342,711,285 6/1955 Burrowes 230--134 2,987,172 6/ 1961 Linsenmeyer 230-1343,186,069 6/1965 Mayne 230134 HENRY F. RADUAZO, Primary Examiner.

1. THE COMBINATION OF A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE BLOWER WHEELS IN AXIALABUTMENT; A CIRCUMFERENTIAL FLANGE AROUND EACH END OF WHEELS FACING ENDTO END WITH AN ADJACENT WHEEL; AND A RING EXTENDING CIRCUMFERENTIALLYAROUND, TRANSVERSELY OVER AND AROUND SIDES OF SAID FLANGES URGING ONEAGAINST THE OTHER INTO COMPRESSIVE ABUTMENT;